Peoria County, Illinois - Chapter 7: Natural History, 1880

Chapter 7: Natural History

Peoria city is situated in about 40° 43' N. L., on the right bank of the Illinois river, on the lower end of a sheet of water formed by that river, which is commonly called Peoria lake. This lake was twenty-five years ago much wider at the lower end, but since that time the little Farm creek has formed about a hundred acres of alluvium just opposite the middle part of the city. The course of this creek is now turned off to a little slough farther below, so that the further increase of that alluvium will probably be stopped. Before the building of the Copperas creek dam the difference of low water and high water, which annually inundates the left bank, was about twenty feet ; now the difference is never so large.

The city is built on two terraces, the lower one, consisting of yellow sand, is inclined toward the second terrace, the bluff; that indicates, that it was an old sand bank and the inclined space between it and the bluff, an old slough, which was shut up at the lower end by an accumulation of sand resulting from a counteraction of the Kickapoo creek, which coming from the northwest, enters the Illinois river in a right angle. On the upper terrace, somewhat over a hundred feet above the river, the drift overlies the coal formation, of which the seams No. 4 and 6, each from three to five feet in thickness, are worked in the vicinity. The large boulders of granite, diorite, porphyr, and other rocks, formerly found in a greater number along the banks of the river, were left, when the river, washing out the valley, swept away the lighter material of the drift.

All the land along the Illinois river, the Spoon river in the northwest corner of the county, and the Kickapoo creek, as well as in the ravines, washed out by the numerous torrents, was originally wooded ; in the northern and western part of the county pre- vailed large prairies ; a small prairie was on tlie above ineutioned old sand bank and slough, on which the greater part of Peoria city is built ; a small part is left yet at the southwestern end of the city ; it was separated from the river bank b}' a narrow border of woods. Wherever this prairie was intersected by little periodical water courses, for instance, where Oak street crosses Adams street, these hollows were wooded ; now nearly all is leveled. This little prairie was quite isolated, but farther up the river, between Chillicothe and Mossville, the large prairies of the northern part of the county extended to the river banks. It is important in a historical sketch of a district to record such facts, as the commendable cultivation of our prairies and the reckless devastation of our forests will, in not a far future, extinguish every trace of the original features of our country.

An abstract of meteorological observations, made during 24 years in the city of Peoria 40 feet above low water, gave the following results : The mean barometer, reduced to the temperature of .32° above zero, was 29.621 for the year ; it was lowest in May, 29.54.5, and highest in January, 29,699. The highest stand ever observed, in January, 1874, was 30.671, the lowest, in May, 1861. was 28.670. This shows a range of 2 inches; the greatest range in 24 hours occurred in December, 1865, = 1.017.

The mean temperature of the year was 52 F. Conceded that the temperature on the uplands is 2 degrees lower ; the mean temperature for Peoria county may be 50. The range of the thermometer data comprised not less than 127 degrees F. The minimum in January, 1873, was 22° below zero, the maximum in August, 1873, 105 above. The greatest range in one month was observed in January, 1864, viz., 87 degrees from the minimum - 22,tothe maximum -I- 65, the greatest range in 24 houi-s was observed from 28th .lanuary to the 29tli January, 1876, the mercury falling from 61 to 8.5 = 52.5. The four sea.sons had an average temperature of 27.6 for the Winter (Dec. Jan. Feb.); 51.4 for the Spring (March, April, May); 75.9 for the Summer (June, July, Aug.), and 54.3 for the Fall (Sept. Oct. Nov.). The mean temperature of the single month is, Dec. 28.7, Jan. 24.9, Feb. 29.3, March 38.4, April 51,8, May 64.1, June 73.9, July 78.3, Aug. 75.6, Sept. 67, Oct. 53.1, Nov. 39.2.

The last frost - that is, when in the middle of Peoria City the minimum temperature was 32" or below, not white frost, which may occur several degrees al)ove freezing point, and kill tender plants - occurred in tlie 24 years between the 25th of March(l^>78)and 11th of May (1857), the first frost in Fall between 1st of Oct. (1856) and 3rd of Nov. (1877), so that the period absolutely free of frost was 163 days, and in average 180 days; this is good for the city of Peoria, not for the country, for which this period may be shortened yet.

Tliere are cloudless days in average 38, moderately cloudy 158, very cloud3- 169, of which 58 are without sunshine, and with rain or snow 99. The prevalent winds are west and south, the most clouds bring the north-east winds, the clearest weather the west winds, the thunder showers come mostly from south-west, but often turn to east on the left bank of the river, so that Tazewell county has probalily more rain tlian Peoria county. The mean (juantity of prcci])italion (rain and melted snow) is 34.7 inches in the year, 2.5 in Dec, 1.6 in Jan., l.S in P'eb., 2.8 in March, 3 in Ai)ril, 3.5 in May, 3.9 in June, 4.2 in July, 3.4 in Aug., 3.4 in Sei)t., 2.5 in Oct., 2.3 in Nov. The greatest rainfall was observed in the year 1858, in 128 rainy days 51 inches, and in tlie month of May of that year alone 10.6 on 18 rainy days.

The flora of Peoria, as far as examined within about 10 miles from the city, contains 812 species of indigenous vascular plants in 102 orders, and 379 genera, and 60 foreign naturalized species, partly of 27 genera, that are not otherwise represented by indigenous s^Jecies, so that there are indigenous and naturalized species, 872 in 102 orders and 406 genera. The number of species of cellular plants is not yet known. There are observed in the vicinity of Peoria city 75 mosses and 20 livermosses, but probably there may be found 125 and 35. Lichens found by Mr. John Wolf from Canton in the county of Fulton about 150, and all may occur in Peoria county. Fungi and Algse are very numerous, but not sufficiently examined.

The time when immigrated plants appeared and spread in a district should be carefully recorded by botanists as well as indigenous plants, when they become extinct. The number of foreign plants is constantly increasing. They appear at first single in single localities, and when not eradicated in the beginning, as has here been done with the white daisy 27 years ago, they spread often, rapidly, and replace indigenous plants, which become extinct.

Very common old settlers are : The hedge mustard, the black mustard, the shepherd's purse, the common purslane, the common mallow, the velvet leaf, the red clover, the common mayweed, the burdock, the common plantain, the common mullein, the hemp, the Jerusalem oak, the Mexican tea, the green amaranth, the white amaranth, the ladies thumb, the black bindweed, the sheep sorel, the curled dock, the timothy, the common finger-grass, the fox-tail, and two species of eragrostis, jjoceoides and pilosa.

Recent immigrants, but rapidly spreading, are the watercress, the soapwort, the white melilot, the spiny-leafed sow thistle, the toad flax, the catnip, the ground ivy, the stick seed, the common hound's tongue, the Ghenopodium urbicum.

Old settlers, but not so very common, are the common St. John's wort, the high mallow, the bladder ketmia, the parsnip, the unicorn plant, the corn speedwell, the corn mother wort, the common night shade, the thorny amaranth, the floating fox-tail, the orchard grass, the chess, the smooth finger-grass, the whorled fox-tail.

Sjiaringly found during the last eight or ten years were the cowherb, the corncockle, the common chick weed, the yellow melilot, the Canada thistle, the moth mullein, the bitter dock, the wire grass.

There are sometimes on formerly cultivated, now waste places, the asparagus, the horseradish, the tansy, the spearmint, the savory and the like, which can not be considered naturalized, not more than some woody plants, as the catalpa, the locust, the sweet brier, the privet, and others.

Of indigenous plants, which yet 25 years ago in single specimens were found, the rattlebox (crotalaria sag thalis) and the cat gut, Tephrosia Virginiana, disappeared in the localities they were found before.

The woods are variously composed in the different localities. In the upland forests the white oak and the shellbark hickory are prevalent, in the bottom woods, the white elm, the soft maple, the cotton wood, and the black willow.

There were observed in all 31 large, 11 middle-sized, 19 small trees and 50 larger or small shrubs, among which are 11 climbers. Large trees are, except the 7 above named, the burr oak, the swamp white oak, the chestnut oak, the shingle oak, the scarlet oak, the red oak, the black walnut, the butternut, the pecan, the western shell-bark hickory, the mockernut, the pignut and the bitternut, the slippery elm, the hackberry, the white ash and the blue ash, the black cherry, the honey locust, the coffee-bean tree, the box elder, the sugar maple, the linden and the thuja, of which a very old tree nearly three feet in diameter stood near Adams mill. It seems that it formerly was there in a greater number and is now extinct in our vicinity as a wild growing tree.

MidJle-sized trees are the Ohio buckeye, the pei-simmon, the gieen ash, the jed ash, the black ash, the sassafras, the mulberry, the American and largetoothed-aspen, the blackjack oak and lea's oak, which is probal)ly a hybrid and v-ery scarce throughout the United States. A single tree stands right at the western city limits on the bluff.

Small trees, sometimes only shrubs are the papaw, the hop tree, (or shrubby trefoil), the buckthorn, the red bud, the Juneberry, the plum, the American crab apple, the scarlet fruited thorn, the pear thorn, the cockspur thorn, the witch hazel, the sheepberry, the blackhaw, the panicled cornel, the alternate leaved cornel, the iron wood, the hornbeam, the long-leaved willow, and the red cedar, which grows not to a great size in our vicinity.

Shrubs are the prickly ash, the smooth sumach, the fragrant sumach, the swampbuckthorn, the New Jersey tea, the burning bush, the blatter nut, the false indigo, the chokecherry, the swamp rose, the dwarf wild rose, the early wild rose, the common blackberry, the black raspberry, the round-leaved gooseberry, the black currant, the wild hydrangea, the round-leaved cornel, the silky cornel, the red osier dogwood, the roughleaved dogwood, the arrow wood, the cranberry tree, the common elder, the button bush, the black huckleberry (in Timber township), the low blueberry- (in Limestone township), the bearberry (in Kickapoo township), the leather wood, the hazel and eight willows, the hoary, the dwarf gray, the prairie, the glaucous, the silky, the petioled, the heart-leaved (the narrow variety) and the myrtle willow.

There are a number of beautiful woody climbers : the Virgins-bower, the moonseed, three grape-vines, the Virginia creeper (or American ivy), the waxwork, the climbing rose, the yellow honey-suckle, the trumpet creeper and the hisprid greenbrier. Of the herbaceous plants, 129 species are annuals or biennials, .572 perennials ; many of them are very showy and worthy of cultivation. In earl}' Spring we find the hepatica and the dwarf white trillium, then follows the rue anemone, the bird foot violet, the columbine and tlie larkspur, the waterleaf, the Virginia cowslip, the Jacobs ladder, the American cowslij), four species of phlox, the bellwort, the false spikenard, the spiderwort. In Summer appear the milk weeds in twelve species, the lilies in two species, the orange red and the Turk's cap, the large flowered false foxglove, the cardinal flower and the great blue lobelia, the great St. John's wort, the wild bergamot, tiie false dracon head, the puccoon, and in Fall many asters and golden rods, of which the former are represented b}* twent3'-two, the latter by fifteen species, the helianthus and rudbeckias, and many other show}' compositte. The greatest beauty is the water chinqueping which covers in the slough opposite Peoria a large tract, surrounded b}' an immense field of Indian rice, which grows there to the height of ten or fifteen feet.

Fauna

As wild {)lant.s yield to cultivation, so wild men and beasts to civilization; with the Indian, the Ijlack bear, the buffalo, the elk, the l)eaver, the Carolina paroquet have gone for ever. The following list contains the animals wiiich were observed during the last twenty-eight years, some only in single specimens, others in great abundance.

2. Rapac'IO - 7y(/7ir rMA's, the wild cat ; Canit Occident aU», the gray wolf; Vulpet virffinianus, the gray fox ; Vulpen fulvuHs the common fox, which is here not common ; Putorius NoveboracensiiSy tiie weasel ; Putorius vieon, the mink ; Lutra canadensis, the otter, now nearly extinct in this vicinity ; Mephitis mephitica, the skunk : Proeyon Intor, the raccoon ; Scalops arijentatus, the prairie mole anil two shrews, very .small mouselike carniverous animals ; lilarina talpuides and HI. enilipes.

4. RODENTIA - SciuruB pudovicianus the western fox squirrel ; Sciurus carolinensis the gray squirrel; Pteromys vohiceUa, the flying squirrel; SpermopMlus Franklinii, the gray prairie squirrel ; SpermopMlus tridemnlineatvs, the striped prairie squirrel ; Tamias striatus, the c\\i'p-va\\\\k ovlencemonsQ ; Aretomys monas, the wood-chuck ; Fiber zibethicus, the musk-rat; Geomys 6M?-sarms, the gopher ; Saculus HudsoniouH, t\\Q ']i\va.]An^ xnoxx^e; Hesperomys leuropus, the deer mouse ; Arvicola riparia, the meadow mouse ; Lepus silvaticus, the gray rabbit. The two most common, the rat and the house mouse are immigrants.

1. Raptores - Aquilo canadensis, the golden eagle, which is very scarce; Maliaetos lemocephalus, the bald eagle ; Pandion carolinensis, the fish hawk ; Falio columharius, the pigeon hawk ; Falio sparverius, the sparrow hawk ; Accipiter cooperi, coopers hawk ; Accipiter fuscus, the sharp-shinned hawk ; Buteo borealis, the red-tailed hawk; Buteo lineatus, the red-shouldered hawk; Nauclerus fureatus, the swallow-tailed hawk; Circus hudsonicus, the marsh hawk ; Cathartes aura, the turkey buzzard ; Bribo virginiana, the great horned owl ; Scops asio, the mottled owl ; Otur Wilsonianus, the long-eared owl ; Brathyotus Cassinii, the short-eared owl ; Syrnium nebulosum, the barred owl ; Kyetea nivea, the snowy owl.

2. ScANSOEES - Corcygus americanus, the yellow-billed cuckoo ; Corcygus erythroph- (/iaZmws, the black-billed cuckoo ; Hylatomus pihatus, the pileated woodj^ecker; Pieus villosus, the hairy; Pious pubesiens, the downy ; Sphyrapious variics, the yellow-bellied; Centurus carolinus, the red-bellied ; Melanerpes erythrocephalus, the red-headed, and Coloptes auratus, the golden-winged woodpecker.

3. Insessores - Trochilus colubris, the humming Ijird ; Chaetura pelasgia, the chimney swallow ; Antrostomus vociferus, the whippoorwill ; Ohordeilus Popetue, the night hawk ; Ceryle Alcyon, the kingfisher ; Tyrannus carolinensis, the king bird ; Myiarchus crmi^i/s, the great crested flycatcher ; Say o mis fuscus, the pewee ; Cantopus virens, the woodpewee; Tardus 7nustelinus, the wood thrush; Turdus fuscescens, Wilson's thrush; Turdus migratorius, tiie robin ; Sialia sialis, the blue bird ; Regulus calendula, the rubycrowned wren ; Regulus Satrapa, the golden-crowned wren ; Anthus ludovicianus, the tit lark; Mniotilta varia, the black and white creeper; Protonotaria citrea, the prothonotory warbler ; GreotJdypis trichas, the Maryland yellow throat ; Oporornis formosus, the Kentucky warbler; Ictria viridis, the 3'ellow-breasted chat; Helmitherus vermivorus, the worm-eating warbler ; Helminthe phaga Pinus, the blue-winged yellow warbler ; Helminthophaga peregrina, the Tennessee warbler; Seiurus aurocapillus, the golden-crowned thrush ; Seiurus noveboracensis, the water thrush ; Dendroioa virens, the black-throated green warbler ; Dendroica ooronata, the jellow-rumped warbler ; Dendroioa BlackburnicB, Blackburnian warbler ; Dendroioa castanea, the bag-breasted warbler ; Dendroioa pinus, the pine-creeping warbler ; Dendroioa pennsylvanica, the chestnut-sided warbler ; Dendroioa eoerulea, the blue warbler ; Dendroioa striata, the black poll warbler ; Dendroioa cestiva, the yellow warbler ; Dendroioa palmarum, the yellow red poll ; Myiodioctes mitratus, the hooded warbler ; Setophaga ruticilla, the red start ; Pyranga rubra, the scarlet tanager ; Pyranga cestiva, the summer red bird ; Hirundo horreorum, the barn swallow ; Hirundo bicolor, the white-bellied swallow ; Cotyle siparia, the bank swallow : Cotyle serripennis, the rough-winged swallow ; Progne purpurea, the purple martin ; Ampelis garrulus, the wax-wing ; Ampelis cedrorum, the cedar bird ; Collyrio borealis, the butcher bird ; Collyrio exeubitoroides, the white-rumped shrike ; Vireo olivaceus, the red-eyed flycatcher ; Vireo nove boracensis, the white-eyed flycatcher ; Vireo solitarius, the blueheaded flycatcher ; Vireo Jlavifrons, the yellow-throated flycatcher; Mirnus carolinensis.

the cat-bird ; Ilarporhi/ttrhus rufris, the brown thrush ; Troglodytes .^lldon, the house wren ; Troglodytes hyemalis, tlie winter wren ; Oerthia Americana, the American creeper ; Sitta carolivensis, the white-l)ellie(l nut hatch ; Hitta canadetii<is, the red-bellied nut hatcii ; Polioptila coernlea, the blue-graj- flycatcher; Lophophanus bicolor. the tufted tit mouse ; Parus atricapillus, the black cap tit mouse ; Eremophila cornuta, the sky-lark ; Hesperlphona vespertina, the evening grosbeak, (only once seen, probably a straggler from the Northwest); Carpodceus purpuretts, the purple finch : Ckrymmiitris triiitix. the yellow bird ; Plectrophauen nivalis, the snow bunting ; Chondestes grammaca, the lark finch ; Suneo hyemalis, the snow bird ; Spizella monticola, the tree sparrow ; Spipella socialis, the chipping sparrow ; Melospiza melodia, the song sparrow ; Passerella iliaca, the foxcolored sparrow; Euspiza amerieana, the black-throated bunting; Guiraca Ludovaiana, the rose-breasted grosbeak ; Cyanospiza cyanea, the Indigo bird ; Cardinalis virginianus, the cardinal ; Pipilo crythrophthalmus, the ground robin ; Melothrus pecoris, the cow bird ; Agelaius phoeniceus, the red-winged black bird ; Stumella magna, the meadow lark ; 'leterus spurius, the orchard oriole ; Teterus Baltimore, the Baltimore oriole ; Scolecopha- </u8/frrM^/ne?*«, the rusty black bird; Quiscalus versicolor, the crow Ijlack bird; Corvus Americanus, the crow ; Cyanura cristata, the blue jay.

4. Rasores - Ectopistes migratoria, the passenger pigeon ; Zenaidura carolinensis, the common dove; Melt-agris gallopavo, the wild turkey; Cupidonia cupido, the prairie chicken ; Ortyr virginianus, tlie quail.

5. Grallatores - Grus americanus, ihe whooping crane; Grus canadensis, the sand-hill crane ; fferodias egretta, white heron ; Ardea herodias, the great l)lue heron ; Ardetta erilis, the least bittern ; Botaurus lentiginosus, tlie bittern ; Butorides vinscens, tlie green heron ; Xyctardca gardeni, the night lieron ; Tantalus loculator. the wood il)is ; /Aw ordiV, the glossy ibis (both stragglers from the South); C'haradrius virginicus, the golden plover ; Aegialitis voeiferus, the kill-deer ; Aegialitis semipalmatus, the king plover ; Phularopus wilsonii. Wilson's phalarope ; Phllohela minor, the woodcock ; Gallinago irilsonii, the English snipe ; Macrozhamphns griseus, the red-breasted snipe ; yiacrozhamphus scolopaceus, the gray snipe ; Tringa ma-ulata, the jack-snipe ; Tringa u'ilsonii, the least sand-piper; Ereunetes petrificatus, the seinipalmated sand-piper; Symphenia semipahnata, the willet ; Gambetta melanolenca, tlie lell-tale ; Gamlntta flavipi's, the yellow legs ; Rhyai'ophilus solitarius, the solitary sand-piper ; Tringoidrs macedarius. the spotted sand-piper ; Actiturus partramiits, the field plover ; Limosafedoa, the marbled god-wit; iVH/Hc/iiMx /oH//(V(<'J</r(')*, tlie long-billed curlew ; Ilalliis elt'gans, the marsh hen ; ilallus virginianus, the Viigiiiia rail ; Porzana Carolina, {he common rail ; Fulica amerieana, the coot.

6. Natatorks - C'^.(/HU.s/-M(,v('«a^o;-, the trumpeter swan ; Anscr hypcrl>i>rcns,ihe snow goose; Anscr gamhelii, the white-fronted goose ; Bernicla canadensis, the Canada goose ; Anas bosehns, the mA\h\\i\ ; Anas oAscwrrt, the dusky duck ; Dafila acuta, the sprick-tail ; Nettion carolinensis, the green-winged leal ; Qiicnpicdula discors, the blue-winged leal; Spatula clypeta, the spoon-bill ; Chaulelasmus strepcrus, the gadwall : Marcia amerieana, the widgeon ; Air sponsa, the summer duck; Fulix marila, the big blauk-heud ; Eulix affinis, tile l)lue-bill ; Fulix collaris, the ring-necked duck ; Aythya amerieana, the rediicad ; Aythya vallisneria, the canvas-back ; Buccphala amcricuna, the golden eye ; Bucephala alluola, tiie bullle-liead ; Mergus aintricanus, the sheldrake ; Mcrgus serrator, the red-l)reasled merganser; Loph"dyte» cucullatus, the lii)i)ded merganser: J'clecanus rryth uriiynchus, the pelican ; Gramlus dilophus, the doubU'-crcstcd cornnjranl ; Larus argcntatus. the herring gull ; Larus delewarensis, the common gull; Sterna regia, the royal tern ; Sterna wilsonii, Wilson's tern ; Hydroshelydon plumhea, the short-tailed lern ; Colymbus torijuatus, the loon ; Podylimbus podiceps, the pied-bill grebe.

In the first volume of Trans, of 111. Agr. Sue, two lists of Illinois birds were published, one for Cook county, by Robert KcnnikoU, and one for tiie southern part of the State by Henry Pratteii. From these two lists and tliat above, which contains 181 species of birds, it appears that in the State of Illinois 239 species have been observed, and that we may add to the Peoria list 21 species which, though not yet noticed, occur as well south as north of Peoria. About 380 is the number of species in the United States east of the Mississippi river, including all the numerous swimming birds, which, partly from far North, visit periodically our coasts.

1. Testudinata - Aspidoncetes spinifer, the soft shell turtle ; Chelydra serpentina, the snapping turtle ; Aromochelys odoratus, the musk tortoise ; Grnosternum pentisylvanium, the mud tortoise ; Pseudemys elegans, the elegant tortoise ; Malacodemmys geographicus, the map turtle; Malaooclemmys pseudo geographicus, another map turtle ; Chrysemys picta ver marginata, the painted turtle ; Chrysemys Bellii, Bell's tortoise.

3. Ophidia - Crotalus horridus, the banded rattlesnake ; Caudisona tergemina, the prairie rattlesnake ; Ancistrodon contortrix, tlie cojjperhead - only these three are poisonous, all the others are harmless and beneiicial. Ophibolus eximius, the milk snake ; Ophibolus getulus var sayi, the king snake ; Chlorosma vernalis, the green snake ; Coluber obsoletui, the pilot snake ; Pitnophis melano leucus, the bull snake ; Bascanion constrictor, the black snake ; Eutainia sirtalis and Eutainia proxima, two brown snakes ; Storeria occipito maeulata, the brown snake ; Storeria de kayi, the small brown snake ; Tropidonotus sipedon, the water snake, and the Variety erythrogaster ; Heterodon platyrhinus, the blowing viper ; Coluber vulpinus, the racer.

4. Batrachians - Ifecturus later atis, the mud puppy ; Ambly stoma tigrinum, the tiger triton ; Amblystoma punctatum, the newt ; Bufo lentiginosus Americanus, the toad ; Hyla versicolor, the tree frog ; Rana halecina, the leopard frog ; Rana catesbiana, the bull frog.

AlvordiuB maculatus, the blenny darter ; Alvordius phoxocephalus, the sharp-nosed darter ; Boleosoma maculatum, the Johnny darter ; Poeciliththys variatus, the blue darter ; Peria americana, the 3'ellow perch ; Stizostethium canadense, the sand pike ; Stizostethium vitreum, the glass eye ; Miaropterus salmoides, the small-mouthed black bass ; Chaenobryttus gulosus, the black sunfish ; Apomotis cyanellus, the blue-spotted sunfish ; Xenotis megalotis, the blue-and-orange sunfish ; Eupomotis aureus, the common sunfish ; Pomoxys nigromaculatus, the grass bass ; Pomoxys annidaris, the croppie ; Haploidonotus gruniens, the sheep head ; Labidesthes siccidus, the silversides ; Zygonectes dispar, the striped minnow ; Esox lucius, the pike : Esox salmoneus, the pickerel ; Hyodon tergisus, tiie moon eye ; Dorosoma cepidianum, the hickory shad ; Pomolobus chrysochloris, the Ohio shad ; Campostoma anomahim, the stone lugger ; Hyborhynthus notatus, the blunt-nosed minnow ; Hybognathus argyritus, the silvery minnow : Alburnope storerianus, Storer's minnow ; Alburnops haematurus, Luxilus cornutus, the shiner; Photogenis analostanus, the silver fin ; LythruruH displaemius, the red fin ; Notropis atherinoides, the emerald minnow ; Notemigonus chrysolemus, the bream ; Semotilno corporalis, the horned dace ; Myxostoma duquesnii, the red horse ; Myxostoma areodiim, the small-headed mullet ; Myxostoma velatum, the smallmouthed red horse ; Minytrema melanops, the spotted sucker ; Catostornus Commersonii, the common sucker ; Cycleptus elongatus, the black horse ; Carpiodes velifer, the spearfish ; Ichthyobus bubalus, tlie brown Ijuffalo ; Bubalichthys urus, the black buffalo ; Bubalichtys cyanellus, the small-mouthed buffalo ; Ichthaelurus punctatus, the blue cat ; Amiurus vulgaris, the long-jawed cat ; Amiurus catus, the bull liead ; Amiurus Xanthocephalus, the yellow-headed cat ; Pelodichthys olivaris, the mud cat ; Nbturus flavus, the yellow-

Stone Ciit ; N^oturua gialis, the chubby-stoue cat ; Anguilla rostrata, the eel ; Amia calva, the donjfish ; Lepido»teu» osseiu, the gar pike ; Lepidosteus platyttomiu, the short-uosed gar : Polyodon folium, the spoon-bill ; Acipeiuer maculogus, the spotted sturgeon ; Scaphirynthus plati/rhynthu*, the shovel-nosed sturgeon; Ammoeeteg aryentcun, the silvery lamprey.

The whole number of vertebrates, as far as known, in this county, is 304 ; mammals, 30; birds, 181; reptiles, 28; batrachians, 7; and fishes, o^. Tliere are not included as immigrants the rat, the house-mouse, and the house-sparrow, which was lately intentionally introduced, but soon will prove a nuisance.

It would fill a volume to enumerate the species of this division of the Animal King' dom. It will be suflScient to have named the most prominent of each class and family Insects are very numerous, often more than our farmers and gardeners like. The devastations in agriculture and horticulture caused by the periodical increase of certain species of grasshoppers, cicades, beetles, hpridopteroiu and dipterous larvie, which in an epidemic manner overrun large districts are often enormous. About the year 1856 nearly all our locust trees, at that lime the most general shade tree, were destroyed by the larva of a black and yellow beetle, called Clytus Jiegtuosiig ; in 18G'.* the potato beetle made his appearance and did great damage during several years; in 18To a barklouse infested the soft maple and now the larvas of an immigrated white butterfly, pierU oleraiea, ravages the cabbage. Fortunately these enemies of the products of our soil have their enemies also, which diminish their number in a far more eflBcient way, than all our artificial remedies. So their devastations are only periodical.

Of the butterflies and moths may be named as the most showy : PapiUo Turnus and its variety glaucus, Troilus, Asterias, Philenor, Thoa», Ajax, Callldryas, Marcellina, Colias, CcBSonia, C. Edusa, C. Philodice, Terias Lisa, T. mesicana (properly a straggler from the South), Danais Archippus, Aryynnis Cyhele, A. columhina, A. myrina, MeliUra Pfui'fon, M. Asiiifrca, M. Tharos, Grapta ititerrogationix, I'liiexmi T-allui:'. V. Antiopa, Pyrainein Atalantd, J', cardui, P. huntera, lunonia casnia, LUiytfu'a Bach/nani, Xymphalin Ursula, N. Dissippus, Apatura Celtis, Deilephila lineata, Darapsa myron, Chcerocampa tersa, Philampetus satellitia, P. Achanton, Macrosiln Carolina, M. (/uifupieinavilata, Sphiiu Kalmiiv, Ancerys ello, Ceratomia quadricornis, 0. npfntinus, Smfrinthun myops, S. esoivcatus, S. modt'gtus, S. i/emifiatus, ^aturnia So, S. Maja, Attams Europia, A. Promcthce, A. Luna, A. Polyphernus, Ceratocampa regatis, 0. imperialis, and many smaller muths.